Soft Violet — Sterner Stuff

You might not know it, or don't care if you did, but the 90s are being pilfered with reckless abandon. It's there for the taking, I guess, especially for a generation that has no immediate knowledge or experience with the decade, the very last before the internet turned subculture into a wikipedia entry. Ok, I sound like one of those ill-tempered former indie kids, complete with crow's feet and a receding hairline (check and check!). But while this sounds overly categorical and partly (mostly?) dismissive--is it my slacker penchant for meta-discourse?--I think this background goes a long way in highlighting the unique qualities of Soft Violet, and in particular, the newest album, Sterner Stuff.

Why, other than my desire to construct a theory where there isn't one, or even a need for one? Because this generation rag picks and chooses what they want on the instant gratification buffet, and occasionally they manage to uncover some latency that most of us missed, the unused unconscious of sonic form that could never have been when the ingredients were first on the table. So, Soft Violet sings a lot in French, and the delivery and the carefree, chanson-esque refrains stand pretty firmly on the shoulders of Lætitia Sadier, including recent solo projects as well as the foundational Stereolab. But the comparison does little to underscore Soft Violet's unique capacity to throw minimalist beats into the mix, merging Berlin and London in one fell swoop. There are the requisite themes – the matriarchy, social justice – and other tag lines, which might, for some, work against the formal ingenuity on offer here. Can one be disarticulated from the other, the message and the means of production? I will not answer my own question, but merely reiterate that the specific combination of ingredients leaves room for post-critical listening, if that's your thing.

Fans of Sterolab, Peaches, Cibo Matto, and other 90s techno-pop with female vocals, may recognize their tastes in the mirror here. For others, a closer look at the open potential today of historical forms could provide some grist for the very old mill.